Stumbles
by Theban-Rune
Summary: Each Kingsguard stumbles in their own way.


Gerold Hightower's flaw is only in thought and can never be drawn to him. The madness of Aerys Targaryen, later known as the Mad King, was a gradual occurrence. It is the day that he first burns a man alive for an insignificant crime that Gerold fully notes how mad the King is, though. The White Bull stands at attention and watches Aerys the second of his name order gruesome deaths. He clenches his teeth, hands on the pommel of his sword, and watches, as that is all he can do, or so he tells himself. He bites his tongue as he is ordered to Rhaegar but he obeys, because that is what he must do, or so he tells himself. He obeys Rhaegar's orders to protect the Tower of Joy, doing his best not to snap at the boy. He feels no regret when the word of Rhaegar's, then Aerys' death reaches him. Gerold Hightower's flaw is a flaw only he can find in himself, and that is that he died not kill the Mad King himself.

Oswell Whent's flaw is not his dark humor, for he truly means not the cruel words his tongue forms. These words are merely words he cannot bite back, so he'd learned to laugh at them, else he'd never be able to look at himself. When Rhaegar falls at the Trident is the first time he scoffs and suggest they should return to King's Landing. Arthur quirks a pale brow and that is the end of the discussion for the time. This changes after the Sack of King's Landing, when Arthur stops talking and Gerold brings back up Oswell's option. But not King's Landing, the Queen and Prince Viserys would have likely fled to Dragonstone, that is where they should go. Oswell doesn't know what'll happen to the Stark girl, but this is no longer his duty. Oswell Whent's flaw is his lack of care for orders given to him by Aerys and Rhaegar Targaryen, for above all Whent wishes to finally save the Queen whose screams he had to bear in his mind.

Lewyn Martell's flaw is a closely guarded secret of the Kingsguard, though later generations of Kingsguard will know of it. It can be jested that his keeping of a paramour is due to the fact that he is Dornish to the core, but that is not so. Nesrine is not some woman he keeps to bed when he sees fit. She not overly beautiful, but she is intelligent. She loves him, and he loves her with all of his heart. She soothes his worries, even if he does not express them to her, and can talk of history and politics with her with ease. It as if she is half of his soul which he'd never known he was missing all his life before he'd met her. The Kingsguard can take no wives nor sire no children, and he does neither, but he will never let Nesrine go now that he knows what he's been without. He sees her face in his mind's eye as he dies. Lewyn Martell's flaw is that there is a part of him that will never belong the Mad King.

Jonothor Darry's flaw is known to all, but not seen as a flaw by others. After he dies on the Trident he will be remembered for his discipline. He jumps when told to jump and does not ask how high, only jumps as high as he can. He obeys every order given to him without so much as blinking at the wrong time. He does not grimace nor make to discuss the King's decisions with him, it is not his place to question his King. He watches the deaths his King orders without flinching, all the while meaning to defend Aerys Targaryen the second of his name, King of the Seven Kingdoms with all that he can, and willing to die to protect him. He goes to the Trident because his King orders it, and he can understand why it is important that he go to slay those who would usurp the Targaryen line of succession. Jonothor Darry's flaw is that he puts his vows to the King above all else. He does not waver, not as the others did.

Barristan Selmy's flaw is not so much a flaw as his brothers of the White Cloak's flaws. He is one of the purest of the Kingsguard, never having acted on any impulse that he fears would in any way forsake his vows. But there is a moment, unknown to all, in which he almost gave in, fears he may have truly. Ashara Dayne, with her haunting violet eyes, smiles to him at Harrenhal, and it is that smile, not her eyes, which will forever haunt him. Barristan Selmy's flaw is his refusal to blame the fates for Lady Dayne's untimely death. He bears the weight on his shoulders at all times.

Jamie Lannister's flaw is infamously known, or so all think. But his flaw is not truly the breaking of his oath and killing of the Mad King. Jaime Lannister, the golden son of Tywin Lannister, always wished to be a true knight...who could stay forever with his equally golden sister, which is another flaw of his. He wanted songs of him and to protect those who cannot protect themselves. He wants to save the Queen when he hears her cry when the King visits her. He wants to have saved Elia and her children when he's learned his father's men killed them. Jaime Lanniester's flaw is his naivety, not a flaw in itself that breaks Kingsguard vows but a flaw that can cause the breaking of his vows.

Arthur Dayne's flaw is the only one which is bared to the world . The world simply does not know. He cuckolded the crown prince and his daughter does not know of her true parentage, will never know. And something inside the Sword of the Morning breaks inside every day his daughter calls Rhaegar Targaryen her father. He touches her dark curls when he leave King's Landing with Gerold and Oswell, and she smiles up to him and wishes him luck, as she had the other two. Looking up, he met Elia's eyes and a break cracks inside of him as she forces a smile before taking Rhaenys by her shoulders and steering her back into the Holdfast. It's the last time he sees either of them. The thing inside of him that had slowly been breaking shatters when news of the Sack reaches them. He welcomes the death that comes with Eddard Stark. Arthur Dayne's flaw is the love he'd felt for a Princess of Dorne, which escalated into his siring of a child. In a way, their deaths killed him.


End file.
